Will you please stop screaming, yes it's the party that they go to with Maddy. Jeez, breathe. You're likely to give yourself a heart attack.

***********************************

Donovan stared at the ascending numbers of the elevator, trying to ignore the way Carter's arm was occasionally brushing his. She looked just as good as she had for the double date, wearing a pair fitted jeans, a t-shirt, and leather jacket. It was an ensemble - unlike the wrinkled uniform she normally wore - that seemed to show her true personality; strong, intimidating, and beautiful.

"So pretty much everyone from school will be here so it will be fun!" Maddy said, her voice growing in volume and excitement as the box climbed.

At the comment, Carter looked to Donovan and he looked back. In that small glance, he knew what she was thinking and had a similar thought. Pounding music reached them a second before the elevator stopped and the doors slid open.

There were only two apartments on the top floor of the building and Maddy guided the group to the one on the left. She opened it and a wall of noise crashed into them.

Groups of familiar students crowded the apartment. At the center of the living room, couches and chairs had been pushed aside and people were dancing in the open space. Red cups filled hands and dotted the polished wood floor. Off to the right was a large kitchen that acted as Grand Central station, people always walking through and briefly stopping for drinks or food. Past the living was a balcony that lined the whole apartment and showcased parts of D.C. all lit up for the night.

Upon entrance, Maddy spotted some of her friends and waved eagerly to them. Her excitement was matched and an onslaught of girls came rushing over. As Donovan surveyed the typical party scene a thin arm came out of nowhere and slid around his neck. Checking his response to instantly break the limb, he looked over to find a girl in a tight and revealing shirt pressed against him.

"Want a drink?" she asked, her lips moving close to his ear.

Her breath already held the smell of alcohol and her eyes were one drink away from losing focus.

"Sure," Carter said, drawing the girl's attention. "Though don't make it whatever you're having because it seems like its doing serious damage to your brain cells."

Donovan laughed, knowing the rejection would detach the girl's arm from around his neck without him having to do it himself. Looking between them, the girl glared and stormed off as Donovan kept laughing. The second she was out of sight, he stopped.

"Being humiliated is one of the strongest defenses against people," Carter said.

Donovan smirked. "You say that like I'm not aware of this fact and like you don't know that's exactly why I laughed."

Carter shrugged. "I know. I just felt like saying it."

"Link, let's get something to drink," Maddy said.

At the announcement, both Carter and Donovan looked over to see Maddy navigating her way to the kitchen. Donovan waited a beat before starting to follow. Carter reached out a hand and grabbed his arm. He looked back at her.

"I have a better plan than you playing puppy dog tonight," she said.

Donovan cocked one challenging eyebrow, trying not to pull an insult from the comment. "Puppy dog?"

"Because you would be dogging them like a puppy. Now, come on."

Without explaining where she was going, she wound her way through groups. Hesitating for a breath, Donovan went after her, avoiding meeting eyes with the girls that were already ahead in the drinking department. Carter pushed open the door to the balcony and stepped out, Donovan right behind.

Outside the night air was a stark contrast to the overheated apartment. A few couples were outside, using the small bit of privacy for matters that needed no talking. From the wall of windows, Donovan could see the whole party scene. Walking along it, they found a spot where they could see Link. Carter settled along the railing.

"Now you don't have to be an overbearing friend," she said.

Donovan took the spot beside her, his arm brushing hers. He slid his hands into his pockets to keep him from doing anything he would regret.

They silently watched the party. Girls laughed and boys made passes at them that either failed or succeeded. The music flowed through it all, slipping round everyone and encouraging them to move to the rhythm and let loose. Cups were emptied, filled and emptied again.

"Have you ever been to a high school party before?" Donovan asked.

Carter shook her head.

"Nope," she said. "I didn't have friends to ask me to any."

Donovan looked at her, still surprised by the comment, though he knew it to be true. "Link and I are really your only friends?"

Carter shoved her fists into the pockets of her jacket, not meeting his gaze. "Yeah."

There was a hint of bitterness about the comment that kept Donovan silent. Knowing the source must be her mother, he kept his thoughts to himself. That topic was closed and he wouldn't be the one to force it open.

"Well, since I moved schools," Carter said, breaking the silence. "Before my mom left and I went to a public school I had friends. Just at Hamilton, things are...different."

"You were below everyone around you in money and status."

Her lips curved into a wry smile. "Exactly. Even if I had a mind to make friends, I wasn't in the place to do so."

Donovan nodded. Carter looked up at him.

"Have you been to a party?" she asked.

Images of early parties taking place in basements with soda, a plethora of snacks and an empty bottle filled his mind. It was occupied with more recent scenes of multiple tv screens laid out and couches piled with boys all jamming thumbs on controls.

"Yes," he said. "We went to a couple at our old school. They were more low key than this."

"This isn't a common occurrence for you?"

Donovan shook his head. Having to face a situation like this over and over again had never been an option. They were always keeping too low of a profile for this to be common.

"The weekends are usually pretty quiet. Except for one every couple months."

She nodded in understanding. "Seeing his father. When does he get to see him next?"

"Sunday."

It had been the topic Link had been talking about since Donovan had gotten notified two days before. Still, in the kitchen, Link stood close to Maddy, smiling and giving off the appearance of being a normal teenage guy. He said something and Maddy threw her arms around his neck laughing up at him.

"How does he feel about it?" Carter asked.

Donovan didn't answer right away, seeing the years of excitement and hurt Link had faced every time he was going to meet his father.

"It's never an easy thing, but I think he prefers to have it rather than not."

Carter nodded and pulled her jacket tight around her. With the action, Donovan almost took off his own jacket to put around her shoulders, but he didn't move. He couldn't do that. He knew it. It was for the best.

Out of their line of sight, they heard a shout as a pair of drunk teenage guys decided to beat each other up. Link and Maddy remained unfazed by the commotion their thoughts lost in each other. Donovan looked at Carter.

"You want something to drink?" he asked.

She looked up at him. "Are you sure you can go in there and make it back alive? Some of these girls look wasted and their aggression and hormone levels are probably high."

Donovan smiled. "I've taken down 250 lbs Marines, I can handle a few wasted teenagers."

Carter waved her hands towards the doors, the gesture mocking.

"Then, by all means, go get me a soda with the cap sealed," she said. She crossed her arms and smirked. "This should be fun to watch."

Donovan made no comment and walked over to the door. As he opened it the volume rose and fell out over the city. The air was hot and seemed to press in on him from all sides. A girl stumbled into him and Donovan quickly set her back on her feet before she could even register his hands on her. When she spun to see who had helped her, Donovan was out of sight.

In the kitchen, he spotted a cooler and popped the lid open. Snagging two sodas, he turned back to return to Carter and a girl appeared before him. In her hands were two shot glass with something that definitely wasn't water.

"Join me?" she asked her tone a challenge and an invitation.

"Sure."

The girl's face lit up. Donovan accepted the tiny glass. As the girl winked and tossed back the contents, he tossed his own into the sink and brushed past her. Donovan made it back to the balcony without further interruptions. When he walked to where Carter stood, he found his spot had been taken. The guy was leaning in and Donovan felt a surge of annoyance towards the unknown idiot. Reining in the feeling, he strode forward.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked, finally recognizing Lucas.

Carter smirked and crossed her arms, the look held all the smug satisfaction of a poker player with a good hand.

"Interrupting implies that something is even going on." She shifted her gaze to Lucas. "Are you going to leave or do you want to make an idiot of yourself one more time? I'm sure Donovan would be amused and I'll get a kick out of it."

Lucas turned around and Donovan gave him a cool look, challenging him to do something stupid so he would have the excuse to throw his out. Lucas flexed his jaw and brushed past Donovan, disappearing back into the party. Both Carter and Donovan watched him go.

Donovan resumed his spot by her side and handed her one bottle. She snapped the cap off and took a sip.

"What did he want?" he asked, already having an idea.

She gave him a look. "If you have to ask that question you clearly are not as smart as I took you for."

He chuckled. "Asked you to bear his offspring, did he?"

"Yes, but he didn't put it as eloquently as that." Carter shook her head in exasperation. "Teenage boys."

Despite what he knew was a simple fact, Donovan derived a bit of pleasure knowing he wasn't among that lot. Carter took another drink.

"Thanks for the soda," she said.

"Sure. Not big on alcohol, I take it?"

Living among Marines Donovan had had his first drink at thirteen, gotten drunk at fourteen and had been sworn off the stuff after that.

"Are you kidding me?" Carter let out a bright laugh. "There is not enough mouthwash or breath mints that would keep my father from knowing I was drinking."

"What would he do? Ground you?"

"Please, I would take grounding over what he would do. He would have me up at four in the morning doing military drills."

"Harsh punishment," Donovan said, though he had faced that and more when his father had found out he had been drunk.

Carter shrugged. "Not really. I've done it before. He would just be making me doing it while hung over. And he has a really loud whistle. But it's what you get when you grow up under a Navy Seal."

Donovan looked over at her. "Must have made for an interesting childhood."

She gave him a wry smile, touched with sadness. As if unable to look at him as she spoke, she focused on the windows.

"It came into play mainly when my mother left. He didn't know how to handle a teenage girl and fell back on what he knew. A month after she left, he bought me a punching bag. When I found something frustrating with homework or school he taught me to assemble a gun. He taught me to focus my frustration and energy into something productive." She laughed. "I've spent that last four years, assembling guns, running through training courses, throwing knives and learning how to defend myself. Definitely makes for an interesting life." She turned her attention to him. "But that's something I figure you know something about."

He smiled and nodded, knowing the assembling guns must be a military thing. It had been a task his father had given him when he was frustrated with homework.

"You just described the first sixteen years of my life." He shrugged. "Except I was competing against men and brothers who were a few years older than me."

She smiled up at him, and there was an inquisitive glow in her eyes. It was a look that said she had found someone who understood, someone who could match her wits.

"Tell me about it," she said.

And Donovan did, feeling the same emotion humming through him. They stayed there through the party exchanging war stories and always keeping one eye on Link. When they saw him teetering and his gaze becoming unfocused, they went and rescued him. They helped him into the back of the car and smiled at each other as he dropped off, his snores filling the interior.

The drive was silent, but neither Carter or Donovan felt uncomfortable in it. They eventually reached the alleyway to Carter's apartment and Donovan pulled the car to a stop. Carter stepped out and turned back, ducking her head.

"Thanks for...whatever tonight was. I'm not sure I would have had as much fun if you weren't there beating off girls."

Donovan chuckled and Link let out a loud snore before falling back into a deep sleep. They both glanced back at him.

"You can get him to the apartment?" she asked.

"Carter, he weighs about 160 lbs," he said, his tone patronizing. "Yes, I can get him to the apartment just fine."

She gave him a teasing smile. "You're just saying that so I know how much you bench. Well, I'm not that impressed. Find some other way to impress me."

She closed the door and walked down the alley, not looking back.

Donovan stared after her, unable to look away.

"I will," he whispered.

**********************************************************************

Reach for the sky!
( 🙄 Alright Woody, calm down no one has done anything)

There you have it, the party! Was it all you dreamed it would be! All you imagined, hoped, wished and waited for?

No? Well, don't blame me I'm just the writer!

Oh...wait...I guess that means you can blame me. Well, that does change things then. I hope it's what you wanted and if not...well tough ducks, life is hard and the ice cream melts sometimes. We just have to face these hard times with our chins up and a second carton of ice cream on hand.

Hahaha please ignore me, I'm in a very dkjbilsehgmsaksbfsaejfbjkse mood. You get it!

Vt, ct, fw! (Oh random letters that seem to mean something, can you guess what??)

Again I'm in a dkjbilsehgmsaksbfsaejfbjkse mood, ignore me.